Turler

Hey Peeps! I got word from the doctor's office today that "He is not concerned. Just eat soft food and call if you get hungry". Serious? So I guess I'll wait it out and see if things loosen up a bit over the following week. I am drinking protein smoothies for breakfast, but I am gonna have to really watch my calories since I'm drinking them more often than eating them this week. It's good to be tight, but this is weird. Feels funny, and makes me nervous. I don't want to hurt anything. J: I don't know for sure about the C-bus thing. And yes, my DD would be a consideration. One minute she's all about being a gypsy, and the next she is all about her friends. We'll see. DH may be hanging out by your place of employment until we decide what to do. He can stay there for free. ~C

I have a 4 cc band and have 2 cc in it so far now. I actually would like a little taken out. Maybe just like .25 cc. I just want to eat an egg for breakfast! LOL I really think this is too tight. It's uncomfortable enough for me to worry at every meal. I am so scared to stretch the pouch above the band, ya know? Leslie...if I'm not on tomorrow, I want you to know I'm thinking of you for Friday! I'm glad you are finally getting this taken care of. You are doing so good and this is just gonna make all the difference! ~Carol

Hi Everyone! J: Yes, there is the HHH (Hancock Horizontal Hundred) coming in September. It's a fun ride...no hills! (sorry J). You can do 32, 64 or 100 miles. Other than that I'm not sure. We have Bike to the Bay in a few weeks (for MS) but that starts in Maumee, Ohio. I can check to see if there are any others coming up that I haven't mentioned. Guess what?....possibility of moving to C-bus! Lots of details to work out, but it may happen. DH may transfer there. On a completely different note than bycyling... I got another fill on Friday. I am so tight in the mornings that I can't eat breakfast. Even drinking is uncomfortable. It stays like this until well into the afternoon. By evening I can eat 1/2 cup, but am pretty hungry by then and find myself eating more often and it must be soft foods (ie, sliders). I called the doctor's office yesterday and the nurse did not seem surprised nor concerned. Is this how most of you are? I have read that many are tighter in the am vs. pm, but shouldn't I be able to eat something? I am drinking a lot of protein shakes to get by. Thanks for your input...anyone! ~Carol

Hi Leslie! I got my second real fill. I am so restricted now that I can't even eat Breakfast and barely lunch. I am really tight in the mornings. I left a message with the doctor to see if I need a tiny unfill. I am glad to finally not be so hungry though! But I don't really want to be limited to shakes every morning. I am starting to lose weight though. YAY! I don't know, maybe this is the way it's supposed to be and I just don't know it! ~C

I am thinking of getting a small unfill. I can't eat breakfast, and lunch is difficult. I don't feel comfortable until the evening. I thought at first it was swelling related to the fill on Friday, but now I'm just not sure. ~Carol

why do want something stuck? I got something stuck a week ago and it hurt so bad! I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I hope for your sake it doesn't happen, but I hope you feel full with your fill! ~C

Good job girls!! Woo Hoo! Glad you got beautiful weather! Wish I could've been there. Was planting trees. :{ ~C

Hi everybody...thought I'd drop in and post. I want a magic wand too!

Thanks L2L! Yeah, it's funny. When I look at the total amount of weight I've lost, it's really not that much. BUT, I am amazed at how different my clothes are fitting. Stuff isn't so tight, hangs nicer, feels better, can't wear anymore, CAN wear now. It's fun. I am just really excited to lose a significant amount of weight. YAY FOR US!! ~C

Wow you guys! Blund: Awesome getting a fill! I'm sorry it hurt a little. :-( L2L: WTH??? I'm gonna be mad with you! {{stomp}} No fair! (but hang in there...it'll happen soon enough I'm sure) I got another fill yesterday. I am now at 2cc. I've had a dry cough since the fill. Weird. I could tell in the office that it was tighter. I was a bit nervous about eating dinner, but everything went fine and I'm not hungry this morning. Usually I'm starving! I lost 2 pounds this week though and that makes me very happy. Hopefully I'll really start progressing. I'm excited, although cautiously optimistic! ~Carol

Hello everyone! I have Insulin Resistance. Not PCOS. I know they often go hand-in-hand, but not for me. I have steadily gained weight over the last four years (was 150 lbs). I have tried diet after diet and have had little success. I was finally tested for IR by my GYN and low and behold, that is why I was gaining so much weight so quickly. My understanding of IR is that only through low carbs and exercise can it be reversed. Dieting will help, but it is the exercise that makes all the difference. But as we all know, that is difficult with the excess weight that we carry around. Exercise is like a 'key' that unlocks the cells that allow the glucose in (to get it out of the bloodstream). If it can't get into a cell, it stays in the bloodstream stimulating more insulin to be released. Eventually, this cycle will lead to diabetes. (More people have this than are tested and don't even know it!) So, I wanted to share this because although I am armed with information and know how, I still struggle. I am hungry. I never seem to be full enough. I love carbs. I can't seem to get motivated to exercise because I have all kinds of excuses. I have been fortunate enough to get approved for the Lap Band and am very excited about having a little help! I too am a little concerned that I won't be as successful as some, but I sure am grateful that something is going to tell me when to stop eating! I am hopeful and yet still nervous. Are there any others out there that have IR? How successful have you been with your band? Do you find that exercise is the "key" for you? I'd love some feedback! I will be banded on April 10, 2008! Carol

It's so good to hear that everyone is doing so well! It's hard to believe that we are all at the 'fill stage'. It will be cool to see how everyone starts losing after they get filled! I am still not losing after my fill. I saw the dietician yesterday and she wants me journaling everything again. I think I am drinking too many protein shakes. I find myself thirsty and hungry at the same time, so I choose the shake...accomplishes both. That frustrates me since I am still watching my calories, and I don't drink them all the time. I have one for breakfast most days, but only once in a while in the evening. Anyway, I'll start journaling again, and we'll see if I can find the problem. Maybe it's something else all together. I am going for another fill on Friday. I hope to feel some good restriction and hopefully that 'not hungry' thing. I can tell this time that something is different (restriction), but I am still able to eat more than the desired amount. Talk to you soon! ~Carol

I'm with Froggy! Yikes! Girls: I have re-read the latest melee and I don't think that Leslie was directing her post at anyone in particular. I think she is trying to say that some people have recently posted their dismay in their short journey with their LapBand. There are several posts in the last few months that have been very negative. Some of the posters have only been banded a few weeks! It's good to see all sides, I am the first to agree with that, but it can be discouraging to see the same people complaining over and over. There are options out there. If those people are seeking support, than maybe they should word things in a manner that elicits support. Often it comes across as a rant. Although it is just as easy to ignore those posts as it is to read them. I get that. A good debate is always worthwhile. Keeping it friendly shows maturity and class. I'm just saying... ~Carol

Caffeine is acidic. It can contribute to the formation of ulcers in your stomach. The band itself cannot erode as it is on the outside of your stomach. It's the interior lining of the stomach that the doctor's are concerned with. The caffeinated drink would not sit on/in the band area as it should be draining straight through (assuming it's a thin liquid). Avoiding caffeine, NSAIDS/Aspirin products are precautions for erosions/ulcers. Caffeine also can dehydrate you as someone mentioned. With the band we are limited to not eating with our meals and are restricted to a certain time frame before and after so getting enough fluids in (preferably water) is an issue for banders. They (doctors and nutritionists) want you to get as much quality food and drink as possible in the small windows we have. Caffeine in large amounts is also an appetite stimulant as mentioned. It can also cause you to feel sluggish. The first cup or two is fine, it's the caffeine you consume in addition that can have an opposite effects on you. It's best to be avoided. Some doctors say never have it again, others say in moderation. I think they want people to go off of it all together to avoid the temptation and because you are more likely to choose Water which is better for you anyway. All the best ~C

Leslie: I am so happy for you! You should be proud of yourself. I am proud of you! Isn't it amazing how a little weight loss can boost our spirits enough to motivate us to do things we couldn't or wouldn't before? I think it's incredible how our brains react to positive changes like that. Even your post radiates joy! I just think the human body is so freakin' cool! Can you tell I'm a medical professional? LOL Anyway, you are right. One of these days the scale will do that for me too! I'm hanging in there. I'm noticing that I'm not as hungry these last few days. That is improvement and a step forward if you ask me! ~C

Actually, we have a very special private airport that lots of rich people that work for Marathon use. And...it's in a corn field along I-75. You pass it every time you go see your GF! LOL We can go to several places. Dayton is the nicest and the easiest to maneuver around. Toledo, Detroit, Cleveland and Columbus. It doesn't matter which to me though. Would be more fun to go in pairs! Heard today that the airlines are taking away the peanuts and pretzelss though. Damn. Do you think the flights will be any cheaper now? HAHA Since you are the planner...do you have any ideas as to which airline and stuff like that? I always fly United, but if you can get a really fabulous deal on another let me know. We've got a long flight. ~C

6 pounds!!!!! What are you doing??????? How in the world do you lose so much weight so fast??? I am better as far as the fill part goes. Definitely feel some difference. Must eat slow!!! But I sure haven't lost any weight. Geez girl. I'm jealous! Send me your diet!!! ~C

I know that sometimes we all get frustrated and feel defeated when it comes to weight loss. After all, that is how we ended up here! I know it's important to hear the good and the bad. We are lucky to have so many willing to share their personal experiences. I am so grateful for the information I've been able to read here. Thank you everyone, for that. However, I agree. A lot of it is just plain negativity. It's like a disease. Once it starts, it spreads. Misery loves company. We have seen a rash of it lately. I hope those people get some help one way or another. If they want their band removed, fine, do it. Funny how their doctors don't just take it out. If there really was a problem/complication, they wouldn't be on here posting about it, they'd be in surgery and then posting about how wonderful their life is after band removal. So this leads me to believe there is certainly more to the story. Overfill? Stretched pouch? Dare I say COMPLIANCE? I am a newbie too, so what do I know. I have struggles also, but at this point I feel it's a learning curve. If I really don't lose any weight, I will be taking that up with my doctor, whine about it on here a little, and hopefully get back on the losing end of things. Just remember, the Lap Band is not for everyone. ~C

Thank you gdf18! You are so sweet! This is where I whine the most. Isn't that awful?! I suppose it's because this is where we all can just be who we are. We already know that everyone here understands what's happening, so I think I like having a sounding board. You can whine to me too if you need to! I think it's awesome that you are able to control your eating so good. Before my first fill I certainly couldn't eat like I did before the band, but I could eat much more than the 1/2 cup my dietician said I should. Plus being hungry all the time really sucks. Does your doctor tell you how much you get with your fills? Mine wants his patients to because he feels that if anything happens to him, or we are out of town and need help, we can be be informed. I totally agree with that. I am noticing that I am feeling tightness. Something is different this time. I don't know what to compare to. Before I felt like a normal person, the last few days, it feels like there is something in there (inside my chest) now. Not painful, just aware when I eat. I'm sure that if I did get the fill this time, that there is swelling which is contributing to the restriction I feel. I will keep close tabs on this so that I can get another fill when this feeling goes away. Okay, sorry I keep rambling. I love you all! ~C

I hope you find the picture ATD. It's a pretty good picture. ~C

mmmmmm....I used to love pixie stixs!!! ~C

I would have thought the same thing! Sometimes I think all the chewing defeats the purpose of the band. I mean, if it's chewed to pureed mush, than it's just going to slip through the band anyway right? Like a liquid? Anyway, I still chew a ton though, just in case. The drinking is hard for me too. I used to drink 2 liters of water a day, and now I hardly drink anything. I can't seem to get enough water. I feel like I have to choose...either drink or eat. Pick one. It sure seems like you have a lot of restriction. Maybe that is the problem for you. Have they checked your band under flouro? I'd ask for that before I'd have a fill. That worries me that you are having so much trouble already. Do you feel sick? Do you feel like you're getting enough to eat? ~C

The upper portion (the part above the band) gets stretched if we eat too much or too quickly. It's important that we eat the amounts the doctor tells us to. It can happen gradually over time or it can happen quickly at one particular meal. Either way...you don't want it to happen! If you were to stretch it, the doctor would need to see it on an x-ray (fluoro), determine the severity and how to treat it. Some can be treated by unfilling the band and letting everything relax and heal. Worst case is the band would need to be removed. So no stretching! The more you eat, PB, gulp Water, etc. all contribute to it happening. Disclaimer: I could be wrong about this, but this is how I understand it and was told by my doctor. On a positive note: I think I have restriction!!! He must have just missed last time. I hope I hope I hope I hope...I am feeling full much faster and can't drink as much Fluid at one time either. I am hopeful. Thank you all for listening to me whine!!!! ~C

Karly1: You're not butting in!! Please join in for heaven's sake! LOL I had hoped that I'd lose quickly like so many and not be hungry and just forget to eat and all those wonderful things. Nope, didn't happen! I am feeling some restriction now though...the 2nd/1st fill just might be working! JohnC: Welcome! Dandy: Thank you! Blund: Wow. You are lucky to have restriction without a fill. Sorry you're having PB's though. I am scared to push my band to those limits. I'm sure it'll happen someday, but I'm not ready yet. Do you chew really well? ~C

ZZ: If I go, I'll share with you! I am not as committed at this point as you are though! LOL I think it sounds like fun, and J is right, with all of us there it should be even better! ~C